I requested this book to review because it was a contemporary Christian romance set in a small town, and CCR is one of my favourite genres. The lakeside setting made it even more appealing. The fact it was by Amy Clipston - a multi-published new-to-me author was a bonus, as I'm always looking for my next favourite author. I think I've read one of her previous books, but she mostly writes Amish romance which isn't my preferred genre. So I was looking forward to reading Splendid Lake.

It didn't start well. The opening Prologue didn't grab my attention - the main character seemed to be a perfect person living her best life with no problems, and that doesn't make for fun fiction. Then her father dies, but even that lacked emotional impact because we knew nothing about him and it's hard to mourn a stranger, especially a fictional stranger.

Then we got to Chapter One, the funeral (a cliche opening if ever I read one). The heroine is obviously grieving, but the writing was distant, which gave the impression we were watching her grieve rather than experiencing her grief. We discover she's engaged to a guy who seems both boring and overbearing, but he's not being set up as the romantic hero: that role is taken by the handsome stranger she met in the bookshop in the Prologue, and meets again by the side of the lake when she escapes the funeral for some alone time.

But I still didn't know what the novel was about, and I wasn't sure I was invested enough to care. The writing was often stilted:

"I can bring some takeout. Maybe your favourite from that Chinese place you love?"

That’s supposed to be her boyfriend talking, and the lack of a specific (if imaginary) dish and restaurant gave the impression he either didn’t know/care what she liked, or wanted to hide that information from the reader. I can understand hiding information from the reader e.g. in a suspense novel. But where’s the suspense in not telling us her favourite Chinese dish or restaurant?

Lines like that made the characterisation feel dull. Her mother's favourite flavour of ice cream is vanilla. Her friend's coffee shop has been compared to a chain, and she thinks that's a compliment (well, maybe small-town USA is different, but the independent coffee shops in small-town New Zealand are always better than the major chains … although that might depend on the chain. Starbucks is okay, but doesn’t have the atmosphere of independent stores).

But my main problem was that I didn't like or respect Brianna. Yes, I know she's mourning the loss of her father, but I never felt that emotion. I also didn’t understand why she was completely ignoring the family business if keeping it running (and not selling to Scott) is so important to her.

I did like Scott, the property investor being set up as the hero. I thought he was kind and generous, despite Brianna acting like a spoiled teenager. As such, I had to stop reading so I can pretend Brianna and Taylor marry and have a perfectly boring life together, while Scott meets and marries someone else. Because he deserves better than Brianna.

DNF at 22%

Love, love, loved this book! The Heart of Splendid Lake by Amy Clipston was just the kind of book I love to relax with and get swept away. This is a story of family and friends with a clean romance.

I loved the characters and could identify with them in many ways. The mom lost her husband to a sudden death and then suffered her own health scare. The daughter had the weight of taking care of mom and the family business on her shoulders. My heart actually ached for them. I fell in love with the man who came along and helped with everything he could out of love.

I love a book that gives me the warm fuzzies after I've read Psychological Thrillers and crime books. Those are some of my favorites but, I find I sometimes need to ease back on that kind of heart pounding fun and find a different kind of heart throb.

The Heart of Splendid Lake had its share of problems to conquer in the story but Amy Clipston created characters that handled problems with grace, dignity and love. It reminds us in our often stressed out world how to be kind people.

I recommend this book for someone that needs these reminders or just wants to relax with a good story. I devoured this book.

I received a copy of this book from #Netgalley/#ThomasNelson for a fair and honest review. Thank you!

I received my copy from netgalley.
It's different then what amy writes about it. but I absolutely loved it she did a great job couldn't put it down! Amy's book are alway's so good. she's a outstanding writer.

I simply adored this book! I have really enjoyed Amy Clipston’s Amish romances and was excited to read a contemporary romance written by her. I was not disappointed. The characters and setting pulled me in, making me feel as if they were real people working to save a real resort and finding love while they were at it.

This novel had some really heart tugging moments. Brianna lost her father very suddenly. As if that wasn’t hard enough, her life took a couple more sudden and upsetting turns and she found herself fighting to keep the family resort open.

I loved the way the friendship grew between Brianna and Scott, even as the possibility of something more developing between them seemed impossible. The way Scott cared about Brianna and her mother, offering help whenever possible, made it clear the type of caring person that he was. I couldn’t help but like these two characters and want the best for them. There was great chemistry between these two.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Brianna Porter, the youngest of the three Porter sisters, chooses to forego college and stays at home doing what she loves most—helping her dad run the family-owned resort at Splendid Lake. She can’t write a legal brief like her oldest sister Jenna, and Brianna can’t edit books like her older sister Cassie, but she can fix a boat motor, organize workers, and find peace in her small community.

When her father passes away unexpectedly, Brianna struggles to support her mom and keep the family business afloat.

The first time Scott Gibson visits Splendid Lake, he feels a sense of belonging he’s never felt before. The small town, unhurried pace, and beautiful lake draw him in. As a land developer, Scott dreams of purchasing and flipping an area resort. But when he shows up to introduce himself, he discovers from a neighbor the resort owner has passed away unexpectedly.

When he realizes the beautiful, intriguing woman he’s met twice is the resort owner’s daughter, he has no idea how to proceed. He doesn’t want her to think he’s an opportunistic developer, but he also doesn’t want to pass up an opportunity to help.

As Brianna navigates the aftermath of her father’s death, she realizes she needs more help than she ever imagined. Could Scott be the answer to her prayers?

Fans of Jan Karon’s Mitford series will enjoy this novel with a small-town feel. The author takes time to develop the characters, the setting, and the plot in this enemies-to-lovers (in the clean sense of the word) story.

Readers will be able to relate with Bri as she struggles to deal with her grief about the death of her dad. Trying to balance her life between taking care of the mom and the resort with little help from her sisters will resonate with some. I loved the way her friends supported her and the compassion of Scott. I found it a little hard to believe that she couldn't see the true picture of her fiance. Sweet romance. Realistic. Recommended.

The Heart of Splendid Lake by Amy Clipston is a sweet romance that is sure to please. This contemporary novel has it all: a strong hero and heroine, a misguided fiancé, the struggle to overcome loss, and the fight to save a lifelong dream. I was quickly sucked into this book, and its fast pace, hometown feel left me entranced.
Heartwarming, romantic, touching and uplifting, The Heart of Splendid Lake is a book I did not want to end. In my opinion, it is the perfect summer read. Clipston is an excellent storyteller, and I was not disappointed!

I received this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I love Amy Clipston and thoroughly enjoyed The Heart Of Splendid Lake thus I am grateful to Thomas Nelson for my e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is a sweet contemporary romance that follows the younger Porter sister Brianna who pretty much followed her father's footsteps and thus becomes an expert boat mechanic. However, her father dies unexpectedly and she is engulfed with grief and guilt and the fact that she has to do everything herself but love finds you when you least expect it. In this case, it's handsome real estate
Scott Gibson. who is pretty much everywhere. Loved this book so much and I recommend it

When tragedy strikes and Brianna’s dad dies suddenly, she is not only dealing with extreme grief - she soon discovers her dad was keeping the financial state of the business they ran together a secret from her, and it is not good news.

Scott Gibson is a real estate investor who has long enjoyed a love for Splendid Lake. He’s envisioned a new way of looking at the property and came to town specifically to make an offer to Brianna’s dad….unaware that he has just passed away. Although she initially does not trust him, through several different and pivotal events, Brianna begins to learn that Scott is not trying to take advantage of her; he may just have the solution to her family’s dilemma.

This is a sweet story about moving through grief and finding a path you never expected would be yours - and it just might be better than you could have even imagined. I am delighted to recommend this book; I really enjoyed it!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book.....such a sweet romance and story about losing a parent suddenly and then the other parent needing help after a medical event. It’s about a family business in need of some help, a young woman who needs to let go of a long love to move onto living her best life and finding what she needs. The story had me feeling like I was staying in a cabin on the banks of splendid lake watching the beautiful sunsets.
I loved the characters and how they all interacted throughout the story. I loved that this book was a sweet romance that anyone could read and enjoy.

Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced copy to read, any opinions are my own regarding this book.

Amy Clipston has long been one of my favorite authors, and I was really excited to read her first ever adult contemporary novel. The Heart of Splendid Lake is a heartwarming romance that focuses around grief, healing, and the importance of family and friends, and I think it's going to be a big hit with every reader that chooses to pick it up.

Brianna Porter's life changes in a instant when her father dies suddenly, and the weight of the family's summer resort falls solely upon her shoulders. She already has enough on her plate when real estate developer Scott Gibson shows up with an offer to buy her family's resort. Brianna wants nothing to do with him or his offer, but she soon realizes the resort is in more financial trouble than she ever could have expected, and there's also more to Scott than originally meets the eye. With her relationship with her longtime fiancé not going the way she'd hoped, and Scott jumping in to help her with anything she needs, Brianna finds her heart conflicted and unsure as to which direction she is supposed to take.

With well developed characters, a plot that keeps the reader engaged, and a slow burn romance that is both heartfelt and swoon worthy, I really enjoyed Amy Clipson's first foray into the adult contemporary market, and I sincerely hope she's going to continue writing in this genre. The lake setting was beautiful, and makes it the perfect vacation read, and I loved the strong emphasis on Brianna's beautiful friendship with her best friend Ava, and the fact that this book highlights many serious issues like grief, infertility, and the foster care system.

I really enjoyed it, and I think it proves just how versatile of an author Amy Clipston truly is.

Final Rating: 4/5.

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to advance read and review this.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review.

I think this is my first Amy Clipston novel but it surely won't be my last. The Heart of Splendid Lake is a touching story about embracing a future that looks nothing like the heroine had anticipated. As someone who recently lost a parent, I could relate to the characters' grief and appreciated the vulnerability and raw emotion depicted on the page. I am not always a fan of a love triangle, but the author deftly weaves the threads of this romance into an emotional page-turner. Readers who enjoy wholesome romance infused with a hope-filled message and set in a small town will love this new contemporary novel.

Brianna is the youngest of the three Porter sisters and the only one who chose to stay in the small town of Splendid Lake, North Carolina and I picked this book because I live in North Carolina. I wanted to see how they handled not only my state but also the grieving process. This has been a year of nothing but grief and this book was a salve upon my soul. I loved the Christian themes and I loved the way they handled everything pertaining to picking up the pieces after all the pieces have been shattered. Excellent book and an even more excellent grieving tool.

I have been a fan of Amy Clipston's books for quite some time. She is among the best when it comes to Amish fiction, so I was excited to see her turn her hand to contemporary fiction. I have to say The Heart of Splendid Lake is right up there among her very best!

Maybe because I recently lost my much-loved father, or maybe because my mother also suffered a stroke, this story spoke volumes to my heart. I could relate to Brianna's struggle to get past her own grief while simultaneously caring for her mother, AND trying to keep their deeply-in-debt business from going into foreclosure. Losing a parent is hard enough, but when the second parent is also effectively taken out of the equation, life can be unbelievably hard.

The first time Brianna meets Scott Gibson, she literally runs into him at the local coffee shop. The second time she meets him, he quietly sits with her on the beach as she grieves her just-buried father. The third time, she learns that all along he was in town to try to buy the family's resort on Splendid Lake, and she throws him off the property. When a steady stream of real estate developers beats a path to her door, she is appalled. Do these people watch the obituaries so they can swoop in like vultures? While all this is happening, she learns the extent of the debt her father had incurred. Is there any way to save the resort, and keep her father's legacy afloat?

I was kind of surprised at how this book felt like Clipston had tapped into my own emotions over the past 3 years. My mom had a stroke 3 years ago and the only lasting effect has been a loss of her speech, and some of her fine motor skills - so I recognized EVERYTHING Brianna went through. My father died in January of 2020 (as if that year wasn't awful enough on its own...) so I also recognized the void she felt. It was as if Clipston put a mirror in my heart and wrote the words I felt.

I also really loved Scott. All he really wants is a family to call his own, and he feels that early on with Brianna and her mother. Brianna's engagement to Taylor makes Scott take a giant step back from her, but it can't keep his heart from wanting to be with her. I liked how they connected first over the resort, then over his classic cars.

This book is contemporary inspirational fiction, so readers who enjoy that should pick this one up. If you like emotion-filled fiction, this one is for you. While Clipston is best known for her Amish fiction, she is stellar in this contemporary book!

I'm going to add this to my top 10 favorites of 2021. Usually Amy Clipston writes Amish romance but this time she gives us a contemporary love story and how sweet it is!

I quickly fell in love with the resort Brianna's family owns at Splendid Lake. I can just picture it in my head and it makes me want to go there for a relaxing lakeside get-away. Not only do I have two sisters like Brianna, but I lost my dad in a car accident years ago so I could easily relate to Brianna's feelings after her dad passes unexpectedly. When realtor investor, Scott Gibson, shows up early on you know there's great chemistry between them. Both Scott and Brianna have lots to work through in their lives but it's a beautiful process to watch.

I wholeheartedly loved The Heart of Splendid Lake and spent most of a day immersed in this enchanting story.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed my trip to Splendid Lake! There were so many things that resounded to me within this story--the loss of Brianna's father and the subject of foster care.

I enjoy reading stories of characters who care so much about their family even when it is hard. Brianna's family is struggling with grief and financial struggles and yet she keeps fighting for her family. Scott is the other main character and his life has been pretty difficult, growing up in the foster care system but he has found the strength to persevere.

I really hope that the author takes the reader on another trip to Splendid Lake!

Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

This is the author's first contemporary book. I'm very familiar with her Amish-themed novels, so I was excited to check this one out.

The characters in Clipston's book are very relatable, as are the messy, real-life situations they're dealing with. There's great character development, particularly with Brianna.

Life is full of ups and downs, and few things are as simple as we'd like them to be, and that is demonstrated in the lives of those in Splendid Lake. Overall, this is a sweet romance with key themes of relationships, family dynamics, love, and redemption. I'm not sure if this will be a series, but the author definitely paves the way for the reader to visit Splendid Lake in the future.

Brianna is the only one of the three sisters that stayed to help their father with the lakeside tourish resort his runs. The other two have their own careers in big cities. When their father dies suddenly and leave the resort in debt, Brianna's mother is devastated and all the problems fall to Brianna to resolve. A developer wants to buy the property and build a fancier resort there but she is determined not to sell.

I loved this story. The characters and the plot were interesting and I couldn't put it down.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion

I am most familiar with Amy Clipston's Amish fiction, but when I saw that she had branched out to non-Amish Christian fiction, I decided her novel would be worth the read. I am a little disappointed in that the faith of the characters does not play a bigger part.

Brianna Porter meets Scott Gibson while she is getting a book at the book store before heading to get a cup of coffee. As soon as she leaves the bookstore, she gets a phone call from her mother telling her that her father has passed away. This leaves a huge hole in Brianna's heart because she and her father were the heart and soul of the resort on Splendid Lake in North Carolina.

Scott is a real estate developer who wants to buy the resort, but as luck would have it, he doesn't arrive in time to make his offer to Brianna's dad.

One thing Brianna soon comes to learn is that her father has left the resort deeply in debt and in a financial hole that is too deep for her to scale out of. While she doesn't want to sell the resort, that may be what she has to do.

When her mother has a stroke, Brianna has to call in her sisters and let them know what's going on with the resort and with their mom. Both sisters live far away and cannot come to help out. In the meantime, Scott is still wanting to buy the resort, but offers his help in getting it ready to open on time.

Scott is a likable character, but butts heads with Brianna's fiance more than once. Brianna has been engaged for three years and hasn't come close to setting a date. When she realizes that they both want very different things out of life, she finally breaks it off, especially when she realizes that she's been falling in love with Scott.

The only mentions of faith in this novel are a couple of references to saying grace before a meal. Whether Scott and Brianna are both believers is left up in the air. While this is a very readable novel, it falls short of the mark for the quality I am used to from Amy. I believe this departure from her normal Amish fiction is a learning curve for Amy and that over time she will get better as she gets used to the non-Amish genre. I don't know if this is a stand alone novel, but there is room for a series, especially if Amy takes on finding mates for Brianna's sisters. Three Stars

Thomas Nelson and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

What a touching story of family, love, loss and responsibility. Brianna has had to endure more than the average twenty-something. As in almost all cases, she is stronger than she thinks. She along with the other characters in this story are people you will fall in love with, except one. But every story needs one of those. Just when it looks like she and her mom will lose everything including their home and livelihood, along comes our hero. I totally enjoyed reading Amy Clipston's latest book and finished it in one day.
I would like to thank Thomas Nelson through NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book. The opinions in this review are my own.